Middlesbrough 2 v 1 Southampton
SkyBet Championship
Saturday, 23rd September 2023 Kick-off 15:00

Voting was locked for this match at midnight on Thursday 28th September but you may still add your mini match reports. Note that members and non-members alike were able to vote.

Seny Dieng	5.6
Rav van den Berg	5.4
Dael Fry	5.5
Darragh Lenihan	5.6
Lewis O'Brien	5.8
Jonathan Howson	5.9
Hayden Hackney	5.7
Isaiah Jones	6.0
Matty Crooks	5.6
Riley McGree	6.3
Josh Coburn	6.3

Tommy Smith	5.2
Samuel Silvera	5.1
Sam Greenwood	5.0

5.0	Gavin Bazunu
2.6	Mason Holgate
3.5	Taylor Harwood-Bellis
4.8	Jan Bednarek
5.7	Kyle Walker-Peters
3.5	Flynn Downes
4.1	Shea Charles
3.2	Will Smallbone
4.2	Adam Armstrong
4.1	Che Adams
4.3	Ryan Fraser

3.2	Ryan Manning
2.8	Joe Aribo
5.1	Stuart Armstrong
3.9	Kamaldeen Sulemana
5.0	Samuel Edozie

Referee	4.8
Match Rating	3.2

Your Middlesbrough v Southampton Match Reports

davidargyll added 09:12 - Sep 24

Watching the game on a live feed, you would almost think that we were playing quite well. But it was clear what Boro was doing which was allowing us control of the midfield. And yes the moves that lead to Adam A’s goal were really good and impressive. Dare one say it almost PL standard.

But then Boro, who had been patiently waiting for us to cock it up, which Holgate duly did, pounced and that was it. (Him and Ryan Manning make some of those idiotic purchases in the Gao era look positive bargains). And then we went to pieces, ok there were the occasional flurries but it was only a matter of time before another piece of stupidity and it’s Night Night.

So where does that leave us? Well I reckon, ridiculous though it may sound, but yesterday showed we are now talking about a relegation fight; because if Rissoll Martin really thinks that the scars of last season are the reason we are playing so badly, logically why should they go away anytime soon? The fact that he (and a number of the squad) is considerably below the talent level required is the real reason and only makes it worse.

FOR GOD’S SAKE THIS MAN IS UTTERLY USELESS AND HAS TO BE FIRED…NOW

PS. I think that most people would say Burnley were one of the best champions for many a season. But look at the struggles they are having now in the PL. Meanwhile some were talking about us being promotion candidates…
Perhaps it shows more than anything else how for a long time we were carried by one player, namely JWP, and until someone else like him comes around we are condemned to mediocrity or probably worse.

SanMarco added 09:29 - Sep 24

The main argument for not cutting short this latest SR management experiment is that RM needs 'more time'. The response to that is 'more time for what?'. Where is this going? It all looks pretty clueless.

The other problem, perhaps unexpected or perhaps not under SR, is that the new signings do not look promising. SR, just like last year, have flooded the squad with a bunch of players who mainly look rubbish, lost, or both. What was the master-plan behind the purchases (other than quick profit of course)?

I thought that this season at least we would not have to worry about heavy defeats, record runs of defeats etc. It seems I was wrong. Given that Leeds and away at Stoke are next up I could see us kicking off a relegation match vs Rotherham having lost six in a row - horrendous.

Bawdrip added 09:40 - Sep 24

Listened on Radio Solent. Sounded awful. Blackmore and Tessem were genuinely shocked at times by the errors. We were so poor. Defensive mistakes, weak and over run in midfield and ineffective upfront. I struggled to understand why we didn't raise our bid for Piroe but now I feel it was more a case of him not wanting to play for a Russell Martin side again. We don't seem to be learning anything from our defeats. Not sure where we go from here. I fear Leeds will walk away with another three points next Saturday.

saintmark1976 added 09:45 - Sep 24

A team going nowhere with a manager who has never been anywhere.

Block8 added 09:55 - Sep 24

Its difficult to support a manager that seems oblivious to his teams lack of tactical and mental strength. We cannot even contemplate a progressive passing game if we can't pass. Our concentration levels are seriously lacking and we don't talk. Holgate needed an AWAY shout but thats not how we play, stupid risks are taken all the time. Ironically, considering the comments about scar tissue, the errors are coming from players that were not part of last seasons dismal showing? And having just read a report of his interview and I quote "They cleared it to the big lad up top and they ran off him" is he bemoaning them not playing it his way? Most of us want to watch a team play attractive possession based football but if we cannot supply this, then we have to consider what we actually want from this season and reset if required to achieve it!

SaintPaulVW added 11:34 - Sep 24

I thought the first 30 minutes went well, then we seemed to switch off. Errors crept in. Boro finished on top.

On paper that was probably our best side to start with. OMFG where do I start. If Downes is going to get knocked off the ball as easily as Boro were doing to him yesterday this isn't the DM we are looking for. Holgate is living up to his Everton fan rep -error prone. Adams again spurning straightforward chances. As always, endless crosses into the box to no one. As for our rugby tackling CB is that taught at the Man City academy? Once again 3-1 on on the break because everyone has piled forwards. I'm not sure anyone escaped criticism yesterday but what is the point.

And as for RM and that daft interview afterwards. Effing Scar Tissue - half the team is new, plus Leicester and Leeds seem to have emerged fully unscathed. As for chucking Charly under the bus - shame on you. Probably lost a chunk of the dressing room there.

I could see where he was going on the pitch but he's turning into Nathan Jones off it.

I think we should still give him some time but he needs to shut up about the players, his former 'success' and accept that he needs to open his mind to where it's not working, and adapt his system asap or he's running out of time.

COYR - Piroe scares the sht out of me now

codge added 12:32 - Sep 24

When will the manager figure out that we don’t have the players to play his way, we were outplayed by a team bottom of the league as if that ain’t enough to figure out it’s not working then nothing else will.For goodness sake don’t play Manning, Smallbone,Holgate,Arribo together or ever for that matter again.

TELB added 13:21 - Sep 24

Very disappointing, 4 straight defeats in fhe trot!! Harwood-Bellis had his shirt pulled first, before he and the Middlesbrough attacked got involved in a wrestling match, which resulted in the Referee who was clearly I sighted to whole incident awards an unjust penalty which obviously didn't help. Why, oh why are they playing put from the back it just invites errors, trouble, and goals. There is no pace in their attacks, teams know how to beat them. RM tactics have been be found out and therefore not working. Something has to change quickly! I question the owners choice of appointing RM, a change now might be better giving ER more time - it's just not working.

leighsaint added 13:24 - Sep 24

Are Saints players fit. Saints just plod along at a leisurely pace seeming without a care in the world. Whilst Boro ran all the time hustled Saints players out of the game. We couldn’t tackle couldn’t pass properly and was caught with the all not knowing what to do.RM master plan no plan A B or any other plan it seems

codge added 13:44 - Sep 24

When will the manager figure out that we don’t have the players to play his way, we were outplayed by a team bottom of the league as if that ain’t enough to figure out it’s not working then nothing else will.For goodness sake don’t play Manning, Smallbone,Holgate,Arribo together or ever for that matter again.

TELB added 13:50 - Sep 24

Very disappointing, 4 straight defeats in fhe trot!! Harwood-Bellis had his shirt pulled first, before he and the Middlesbrough attacked got involved in a wrestling match, which resulted in the Referee who was clearly I sighted to whole incident awards an unjust penalty which obviously didn't help. Why, oh why are they playing put from the back it just invites errors, trouble, and goals. There is no pace in their attacks, teams know how to beat them. RM tactics have been be found out and therefore not working. Something has to change quickly! I question the owners choice of appointing RM, a change now might be better giving ER more time - it's just not working.

I_would added 13:59 - Sep 24

It was tosh. It is tosh, it will be tosh.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RM OUT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AmericanSaint added 23:26 - Sep 24

So I was going to wait till Nick's report, but I can't as he must be stewing and trying to find any positives.

Well you all have expressed much of my thoughts, but I think a couple of things need to said:
1. Why the hell did we let Roman Peroud leave? Manning is horrible and his has not ability to use his right foot, so that makes him predictable.
2. Holgate should be sent back and give Bree a chance.
2a. 2 personal mistakes cost us two goals.
3. Flynn Downs looks like a boy at times. He has no creativity and I read that RN said Charlie Alcazar was not used as his head wasn't in it? What the hell does that mean.
4. I don't fault the ref for the making the penalty call as without VAR he couldn't have seen that the attacker was pulling HB shirt just as much.
5. It is obvious that RM has his favorites, who are not performing, so this will continue. Again my biggest complaint is that he does not any tactical acumen. How many times did KWP start a run behind the defense and nobody tried a chip over. I counted 8 and no balls over the top.
6. At the pace, SR need to make a serious decision - (1) fire RM at the next international break or (2) accept that we will end mid-table and rid it out to the end of the season and start over.

Last thing I will say is that this team and its mediocre play/style has caused me so much frustration that I find I am miserable for hours after the match because of way we play. No more. I am no longer going to watch the matches until Christmas time to see if anything has changed. My weekends will no longer be ruined by this lot of players. I will enjoy watching the Premier League and root for goals not teams. I wish you all the best in your viewing of the team over the next several months.

DELLBOY11 added 12:55 - Sep 25

I 100% know what is wrong with the manager and the team. First we are not and never will be good enough to play this tippy tappy play around the back four football as proved all season. The main problem we have is the midfield, yes 100% the midfield. We are so weak right across the middle of the park, no height, no aggression and certainly no creativity. We expose a weak back for and give little service to the forwards. We get over run out played in the middle of the park each and every weak. Also i cannot remember when we last scored from a cross with a header, simply we have no height in the team to challenge headers in their goal area. I would guess we must be on of the easiest side to play against in this league. We Downs and Smallbone are just not good enough, tall enough, creative enough and that is a fact,. Then we have Holgate OMG send him back now, and manning a waste of space and then charles and Ballis are hardly playing to any of their ability. So there you have it we need a new midfield to get better results but not before exmas when we will be in the bottom four.